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The »Fujian« being launched in Shanghai
Photo: Li Gang/AP
China continues to upgrade its navy - and now has three aircraft carriers.
In a solemn ceremony, the People's Republic launched the "Fujian" in a Shanghai shipyard, as reported by the state broadcaster CCTV.
The ship is the first fully domestically designed and built aircraft carrier and represents a major military advance for China.
The ship is said to be more technically advanced: According to CCTV, the "Fujian" is the first ship of its kind with an aircraft catapult.
The previous aircraft carriers "Liaoning" and "Shandong" therefore do not have such a launch system.
The predecessors are based on models of the Soviet Admiral Kuznetsov class, but were also manufactured by China.
However, it will be years before the »Fujian« is ready for use.
The Ministry of Defense has not yet announced a date for the commissioning.
According to defense magazine Janes, the United States currently has the largest number of aircraft carriers by far, with 11 ships, followed by China and Britain, each with two operational ships.
Conflict with Taiwan brews
In particular, China's increasingly aggressive attitude towards Taiwan had recently caused tensions with the USA to rise significantly.
Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe recently said his country would fight "to the end against independence" for the island.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that should be reunited with the mainland - if necessary with military force.
The US is pursuing a line of "strategic ambiguity" on this issue.
In doing so, they assure Taiwan of support in developing its defense capabilities, but do not expressly promise to come to the island's aid in the event of war.
mrc/AFP
